Winners to keep on flowing for the newly engaged Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald

Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald are on the cusp of 100 winners in the first five months of their training partnership and can hit the milestone this weekend.

The unbeaten Anavinci makes her long-awaited comeback at Randwick on Saturday. Picture: Bradley Photos

This has been some debut season for Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald.

Since forming a training partnership on August 1, they have won 97 races to be fourth in the Australian trainers premierships, prepared two Group 1 winners, their stable runners have earned over $12 million prizemoney – and the couple recently got engaged!

Neasham and Archibald have plenty of time to decide on a wedding date but right now they have their hands full juggling their three-state, four-stable training operation.

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“Annabel has a good handle on everything, we just run off her,” a modest Archibald said.

“But the first few months of the season have been good for the stable. We are happy with how it is going although you are always looking at ways to improve.”

The next week or so is indicative of how Neasham and Archibald have hit the ground running this season.

The trainers, who have stables at Warwick Farm and Scone (in NSW), Pakenham (Victoria) and Eagle Farm (Queensland), have starters and nominations for 12 meetings around the nation including a strong Royal Randwick entry on Saturday.

The Neasham-Archibald stable has eight runners in six races with comeback mare Anavinci and stablemate Defining in The Agency Real Estate Handicap (1200m).

At Eagle Farm, the trainers are represented in another six races featuring Bosustow and emergency Superhero in the Group 3 $300,000 Vo Rogue Plate (1300m).

Neasham and Archibald also have entries at various venues through to New Year’s Day where Numerian is due to contest the Group 2 $1 million Perth Cup (2400m) at Ascot.

The return of Anavinci will create plenty of interest at the Royal Randwick meeting on Saturday.

It’s been two years to the day since Anavinci last raced, winning the Listed Gosford Guineas.

The talented mare has had what Archibald describes as “various issues” which has kept her sidelined since that Gosford win.

Anavinci holds them off to win the Listed @gosford_races Guineas and remain unbeaten!@[e-mail]/zTA9Hjt6Hn

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) December 28, 2022

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But the fact that Neasham and Archibald have kept the mare in their system for two years speaks volumes for their belief in her ability.

The easier decision would have been to retire Anavinci as she is already an extremely valuable broodmare prospect given her pedigree and racetrack performance.

Anavinci, who won her only other start at Wyong the same month she won the Gosford Guineas, is by Yarraman Park’s super sire I Am Invincible out of Anabandana, herself a dual Group 1 winner and already the dam of two stakes winners.

“We do believe Anavinci is a quality mare and worth persevering as a racehorse,” Archibald said.

“She’s had her problems over the last couple of years but this preparation she is coming along nicely.

“Given the time since she last raced, she may need a run or two but it’s good to get her back to the races.”

Anavinci has had three barrier trials in recent weeks to prepare for her comeback and TAB Fixed Odds price assessors have her at $9 to maintain her unbeaten record on Saturday.

Godolphin mare Jewellery is early favourite while Anavinci’s stablemate, Defining, is at $13.

Archibald expects competitive runs from form duo Eye Of The Fire ($4 favourite) in the James Squire Handicap (1200m) and Fortune ($9) in the Sporting Chance Cancer Foundation Handicap (1600m).

Eye Of The Fire goes to Randwick after successive wins at Canterbury and Rosehill before a narrow loss to Disneck two weeks ago while Fortune impressed first-up when he beat all but Bat Out Of Hell at Canterbury.

It's Eye Of The Fire over the top of them in the last at Rosehill!@ANeashamRacing | @aus_turf_clubpic.twitter.com/rH7eO8mitM

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) November 30, 2024

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“We are really happy with Eye Of The Fire, he’s racing very consistently,” Archibald said. “Fortune ran an encouraging race first-up and he has improved.”

The Neasham-Archibald stable also Randwick runners with Usain Boss ($34) in the Petaluma Handicap (1100m), Zouprince ($26) in the Toyota Forklifts Handicap (1100m), and $13 chances Morning Sun and Claim The Crown clashing in the TAB Handicap (2000m).

Meanwhile, Archibald revealed stable star Sunshine In Paris has spelled well after an outstanding spring campaign that included her first-up win in the Sheraco Stakes, game efforts when fifth and second to Bella Nipotina in The Everest and Russell Balding Stakes, before her Group 1 Champions Sprint win at Flemington (Bella Nipotina ran third).

“Sunshine In Paris is a very good mare and deserved her win at the end of the Melbourne carnival,” Archibald said.

“She’s back in the stable now and looks great but whether we get her ready for the sprints at Flemington early in the autumn, I’m not sure.

“The autumn comes around very quickly, there is not a lot of time after the end of the Melbourne spring. I would say a race like the TJ Smith Stakes at Randwick would probably be her aim.”

Archibald said proven big-race trio Lady Laguna, Port Lockroy and Fawkner Park give the stable plenty of depth going into the autumn carnivals next year.

“I don’t think Lady Laguna handled the left-handed way of going in Perth but she is back home now and there are plenty of options for her in the autumn,” Archibald said.

Originally published as Winners to keep on flowing for the newly engaged Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald